Sainsbury's took her card!

RobertoMoir

MaKaToM wrote: »

Personally I wouldn't have had that much patience with someone as daft as him, I mean, who puts someone like that behind a 'Customer Service' desk?

By the sounds of things, someone who likes it when jobs are done correctly. He was doing precisely what he was instructed to do, I'm sure.

CopperPlate_2

Quality. I'm very tempted to enter the world the OP is in at the moment. The one where we believe everything told to us as a true gospel - that it couldn't possibly have been the woman's own fault, that it had to be the bank and/or the 'useless' customer service assistant, etc, etc...

Having worked for a certain large supermarket retailer during my university days (unfortunately some time ago now, much as I try to deny it to myself) I had more than my fair share of 'declined' or 'referred' transactions. Some people suddenly realised that they had actually received a new card and hadn't replaced the one in their purse or wallet and in doing so smiled in an embarrassed sort of way, and apologised; then there was the other one who screamed and shouted and virtually had me by the throat telling me about the thousands, nay!, tens of thousands of pounds in their current account and how it couldn't possibly be declined or how dare I retain the card!? The banks were absolutely unequivocal in their instructions too - tell the customer to go to their branch and quote whatever code they gave me. Sometimes they were willing to speak to the customer, sometimes they weren't depending on who it was you spoke to. I think those that did, did so as a courtesy rather than obligation.

The bottom line was - if it's declined. It's declined. Can I have another method of payment please? If not, then I'd gladly put the shopping into cold storage until you come back. If it's retained - guess what? It's retained and you can shout at me and scream at me and look around at all the customers gawping at you (no, they're not supporting you, they're looking in horror at your behaviour and how you're making a complete fool of yourself) as if they're going to nod in vigorous approval at your rantings. Oh dear. And they wonder why some people can't be trusted with things like credit or debit cards...?

deadthings

Can't we all just, get along...



OK, so the kid is the supermarket was a turd who didn't know how to be civilized, and the same turds here are sticking up for him. That's fine.

The !!!!!! in the bank sent out a card revoke but never bothered to tell the customer, and of course as usual, it's the customers fault for not having more cards!

I just love the twisted mentallity. Blame the customer who is affeced by it, but never the bank.

We all know that bank staff are scum anyway.

Merry Christmas.

D.

opinions4u

deadthings wrote: »

Can't we all just, get along...

Not if you're pathetic enough to post what you've just posted. No. Not a chance.

OK, so the kid is the supermarket was a turd who didn't know how to be civilized, and the same turds here are sticking up for him. That's fine.

The supermarket staff member did the job they are paid to do. We can discuss how the conversation has gone, or should have gone. But the OP is posting a 3rd party story anyway, so Chinese whispers is where we'll get to - not facts.

Bottom line is the result is that the card was declined for whatever reason and the supermarket was told to retain it - no choice but to comply with that.

The !!!!!! in the bank sent out a card revoke but never bothered to tell the customer

The customer, in this case, vented anger on the supermarket staff member, knowing full well that it was necessary to have a conversation with the bank.

and of course as usual, it's the customers fault for not having more cards!

While I would always have a credit card in reserve, I do think it's a genuinely unfortunate situation for somebody to be in. But we've not really established the full facts behind it so we don't know if the bank is at fault, systems are at fault or if the customer has done something wrong. Very possibly the anti-fraud measures have been a little oversensitive, but I'd rather have that than my bank allow a crook to run wild on my debit card.

We all know that bank staff are scum anyway.

Having worked in banking for 20+ years I did bump in to the occasional career minded meglomaniac who was indeed a scumbag. That said, well over 95% of those I had the pleasure to work with were great people who I would willingly socialise with, employ or choose to be employed by.

I'm afraid your attitude to a specific group of people based on their employment suggests that you are a pathetic and small minded individual unable to recognise people for who they are rather than what they do for a living.

RobertoMoir

deadthings wrote: »

Can't we all just, get along...

Well until you decided to be gratuitously offensive I was willing to give it a go, but frankly with your attitude you can forget it. I'm sorry that you're unable to understand the points being made here but your lack of familiarity with how the world works is no one's problem but your own. Judging by your other posts, your input on this issue is slightly less use than a roof-rack on a helicopter.

MrsTinks

RobertoMoir wrote: »

a roof-rack on a helicopter.

I've always wanted one of those!

Voyager2002

This story demonstrates how foolish we all were to exchange our cheque books and guarantee cards for debit cards. Until recently, the solution would have been to pay by cheque and write the card number on the back. Now that most shops refuse to accept cheques, this safety-net has been withdrawn from us.

And no-one comes out the story well: not the bank; not the correct but discourteous supermarket employee; not the customer (who should have realised that the problem was not the fault of the supermarket); nor the many posters who tell her that it was her fault for not carrying cash and other cards.

I think we should blame society.

olly300

Voyager2002 wrote: »

This story demonstrates how foolish we all were to exchange our cheque books and guarantee cards for debit cards. Until recently, the solution would have been to pay by cheque and write the card number on the back. Now that most shops refuse to accept cheques, this safety-net has been withdrawn from us.

And no-one comes out the story well: not the bank; not the correct but discourteous supermarket employee; not the customer (who should have realised that the problem was not the fault of the supermarket); nor the many posters who tell her that it was her fault for not carrying cash and other cards.

I think we should blame society.

When cheques where accepted in shops, many shops including supermarkets, would ring a number to check they could accept the cheque and card. So it's likely that the card would have been declined anyway.

The only way not to have this problem is to:
1. Have a credit card
2. Go shopping with a mate

I've had my card declined in the past (distance past) and that's how I got round it.

gilligansyle

wrangler5 wrote: »

Going out shopping without having any alternative back-up means of paying whatsoever and not even taking into account that there might be a problem with the card is a very naive way to do your food shopping.

Unfortunately we live in the real world and while the ideal is to have a backup method of payment its not always possible. Not all of us are fortunate enough to have a wallet full of spare cards, and may not always have enough spare cash. If
Her PIN was accepted so part of the system was OK, there was obviously something else flagged on the system. These things happen, it may or may not have been correct. The fact is that the customer should not have taken out her frustration with the bank on the staff in the shop.

Personally if there was fraud on my card, I would sooner the transaction be declined and the card retained, than have the hassle of money going from my account. OK you get it back, but you are stuck in the meantime.

Would be interesting to know what the outcome was when she contacted the bank.

As others have said, this is a 3rd party account so there may be more to it.

mab2000

MaKaToM wrote: »

The maestro person actually asked her if a new card had been ordered, to which she explained that she had only been given this card in April, so wasn't due one. So even they didn't know!

Doesn't matter that your friend only got her new card in April. Natwest started issuing Visa Debit cards in September, and plan to replace all Maestro cards with visa debit cards by the end of next year, even if they are not due to expire. I think in this case it is very likely that they have issued a new visa debit card and it has got delayed in getting to your friend (unless your friend doesn't open their post very often). Maestro would not know if a new card has been issued because the new card would be a visa debit.